Challenging truths about the online world that our tamariki are exposed to.

Our Kids Online

On Wednesday evening, 23 June at the Performing Arts Centre, Zareen and Rob Cope presented some challenging truths about the online world our tamariki are exposed to.

They have carried out extensive research and their findings inform us of the online benefits and extensive dangers of the internet.

Free access to the internet via smartphones and tablets, along with gaming devices such as Playstation, or even Smart TVs, use apps that have the potential for traumatic exposure to cyber-bullying, pornography and online predators. Adults have not been raised with the level of online access that our children’s generation have.

Social media connects us to strangers in ways we have never had to consider before. Adults model the internet and social media use. If we don’t know the answer, we Google it. So curious kids are doing exactly that too and finding some horrific things at the same time.

Advice to parents includes:

• monitoring what is happening on devices, who they are talking with online
• not allowing young people to have devices in their bedroom
• to turn off the wifi at a reasonable time each evening
• prioritising family time and sleep, over devices is definitely advocated.

When young people say it is an invasion of their privacy or rights for parents to have access to their phone or apps, Zareen and Rob say "it is about safety, not privacy".

“This is about wearing a safety belt, not privacy or rights.”

A wealth of information, resources and help is available on their website at

https://www.ourkidsonline.info/